ForConstructionPros.com

A skid-steer loader is truly a "jack-of-all-trades." With their myriad attachment options, these units can be found doing many tasks on many different types of jobsites. From earthmoving on a building site to landscaping a park to cleaning stalls in a barn, skid-steers can be found helping operators get the job done.

While skid steers can be utilized in many different ways, size does matter. A smaller skid steer wouldn't be the best choice for a roadbuilding crew that needs to mill a few inches of asphalt off a road; and a full-size skid steer wouldn't be the best option for a homeowner to use for his backyard garden.

Skid-steer loaders are typically rated by their rated operating capacity (ROC). Below are the size classes listed by AEM (Associated Equipment Manufacturers):

• Zero to 1,251 lbs.
• 1,251 to 1,350 lbs.
• 1,351 to 1,600 lbs.
• 1,601 to 1,750 lbs.
• 1,751 to 2,200 lbs.
• 2,201 to 2,700 lbs.
• 2,701 lbs. and above

"The most popular size in the construction industry is the 1,751- to 2,200-lb. ROC machines," says Greg Rostberg with Bobcat Co. "As the ROC increases between machines, so too does the horsepower of the engine."

Gregg Zupancic, product marketing manager for skid steers and compact track loaders at John Deere, notes that size and horsepower of the skid steer usually falls into one of three categories: